Bucket for dredging-machines



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet'l.

' J. MQSEWARD.

BUCKET-POR 'DRBDGING MACHINES.

Patented May `28, 1895.

(No Model.) 2 sheets-#sheen 2. J, M., SEWARD. BUGKET FURDRBDGING MACHINES.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.IOHN M. SEWARD, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

BUCKET Foa DREDelNc-MACHINES.

C SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 539,962, dated May 28A, 1 895. Applicativn filed May 3, 1894:. Serial No. 599,919- (No model.)

' Albany, in the county of Albany and State of which i's tted to reciprocate therein.

New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Buckets for Dredging- Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention especially refers to improvements on what is commonly known as a clamshell bucket, made in two like parts and hinged together to meet on a central line, and

the object of my improvementy is to increase the scope and usefulness of such buckets, and provide means for effecting the opening and closing movements of the parts of said buckets; the opening movement of vsaid parts being eected by steampressure, and the closing movements of the same being accomplished by atmospheric pressure; said pressures being applied to a piston arranged to reciprocate in a cylinder, and the steam being condensed in said cylinder, to produce a vacuum therein, so that the atmospheric pressure can work effectively on said piston. This object I attain by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, being herein referred to, form cation, and in which- Figure l is aside elevation of my invention, showing the bucket in a closed condition. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section at the line X X on Fig. 2, showing the bucket in an open condition. Fig. 4 is a vertical section at the line Y Y on Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modification of my invention, showing the bucket in a closed condition. Fig.'6 is a longitudinal section showing the bucket in an open condition, and Fig. 7 is a transverse section of Fig. 6.

As represented inthe drawings, A designates the operating-cylinder of my invention. Said cylinder is bored to receive a piston, B, Said piston is provided with a suitable packing, l, to form a steam-tight joint with the bore of the cylinder A. On the upper end of the cylinder A, there is attached an extension, C, which forms a closure for said upper end, and, preferably, said extension is not bored to allow the piston B to move therein, but it forms a space for the reception of the water produced partA of this specilibythe condensation of thest'eam by the con` tact of the latter with the colder surface of the cylinder A. Lugs, D, are formed, on opposite sides of the cylinder A, to receive guidepoles, E, which are fitted to move in suitable guides attached to a conveniently adjacent part of the boat or float on which the dredging-machinery is erected. On the outer'side of said cylinder two pairs each of lugs, 2 and 3, are formed so that the lugs 2 will be at the lower part of the cylinder and the lugs 3 at a higher plane thereon, andthe respective pairs will be directly opposite to each other as shown in Fig. 2. The lugs 2 form points of attachment for the upper ends of short links, 4, and the lugs 3 serve a like purpose for the upper ends of the longer links, 5, and

the lower ends of the corresponding short and long links are brought into corresponding positions to receive a bar, 9, that forms an arbor for an immovable hinge-joint for one part of a two-part dredge-bucket F. ,Said hingejoint is arranged to extend below the lower i i while they maintain the hinge-joints in a fixed position, aid in sustaining said weight. It is obvious that the same effect can be obtained by omitting said links and forming a pair of lugs at the lower end of opposite sides of the cylinder, provided the lugs aretextended outward, and downward to a like degree, but, on account of the greater strength obtainable by said links, I prefer to construct the hingejoints with the links 4 and 5. 'By this mode of hinging the two parts of the dredge-bucket,

the latter, when open, will extend over a greater surface than when the parts are hin,D

in the usual manner, solthat,in the operation roo of @losing the bucket-while theiaer is submerged and resting on th/e/gr/ound to be removed-a greater quantity of the ground will be taken upand removed in the bucket than can be taken by a bucket hinged in the usual manner.

F is the dredge-bucket formed of two like parts that are fitted to meet together on a central line. Said parts are composed of endpieces, 6, which are preferably made of quadrantal form, and a front-plate, 7, that is curved to conform to the convex edge of the endpieces 6, and to which said front-plate is permanently secured. A lug or eye, 8, is secured to each end-piece 6 at, or near, the point of junction of the latter with the upper edge of the front-plate 7, and through the opening of said lugs a bar, 9, is fitted to form a pivot for the swinging-end of the links 4 and 5 at the corresponding side of the cylinder A. At the angle of each end-piece 6, is a reinforcing plate, 10, and through said plate and endpiece an yopening is formed for receiving a cross-bar, l1,which formsapivot for the lower end of links, 13, and a point of attachment for a branch of the bucket-chains, 14, whose upper ends are secured to a cross-head, G, which is attached to the lower end of a hoisting-chain, 15, that is connected to a derrick (not shown in the drawings) of the dredgeboat in the usual manner. The upper end of the links 13 are pivoted, by pins 16, to lugs, 17, formed on the lower face of the piston B, so that, when said piston is forced downward, by a pressure of steam against its upper face, the two parts of the bucket F will be swung apart, as shown in the full lines on Fig. 3, but, when a vacuum is formed in the upper part of the cylinder A-in the manner hereinafter described, the atmospheric pressure acting against the lower face of the piston B will force the latter to move upwardly in said cylinder, and thereby the links 13 will be drawn up into the bore of the cylinder A and the two parts of the bucket F will be forcibly moved together, to meet on a central line as shown in Fig. 1, and in making this closing movement the two parts of said bucket will scoop up any ground or other matter lying between the two parts of the bucket F when extended, as shown in Fig. 3.

H is a flexible steam-pipe leading from a suitable steamgenerator and connected to any convenient part of the cylinder A so as to deliver the steam above the upper surface of the piston B, when the latter is at the upper extremity of its stroke.

I is an opening made in the lower part of the cylinder A in a position where it will be uncovered when the piston B reaches the lower extremity of its stroke in said cylinder. Said opening is provided for the purpose of allowing the steam 'to escape after the piston B has completed its downward stroke, and, when said cylinder is submerged, to allow the Water to enter the cylinder and condense the heated vapor and produce a vacuum in the upper portion of the cylinder above the piston B.

In the modification of my invention shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, the cylinder A is provided with two lugs, 18, at diametrically opposite points of the outer side of said cylinder. A cross-bar, 19, is fitted inthe openings of said lugs to serve as a pivot on which the upper ends of the links, 20, are arranged to swing. The lower ends of said links are connected to a crossbar, 21, attached to the dredge-bucket F in the manner hereinbefore described in respect to the bucket F. When the two parts of said dredge-bucket are connected to the cylinder A by the links 2O alone, as the two parts are becoming separated from each other, said links will gradually approach a vertical position, which position will be attained when the two parts of the bucket are in a full open position, as sho-wn in Fig. 6. The two parts of said bucket are pivoted to a bar, 22, that is common to both parts, so that the distance to ,which said parts can be extended is limited by said bar. The mechanism for operating said buckets is practically the same as that previously described herein in respect to Figs. 1 to 4. Therefore a repetition of it is unnecessary.

My invention operates in the following manner: When the dredge-bucket is loaded and suspended, on the hoisting-chain of the derrick, over the place where the load is to be dumped from said bucket, steam is admitted into said cylinder through the flexible steampipe, and the pressure on the upper side of the piston forces the latter downwardly to open the bucket, by separating the two parts of said bucket from each other, so that the load will fall therefrom. While the bucketis still in an open condition it is swung, by the derrick, to a position over the place where it is to be reloaded, and-while still in an open condition-lowered into the water. The piston, during the operation of opening the bucket, Will be moved to uncover the opening through which the steam will escape from the cylinder, so that when the latter enters the water the pressure of the steam will be practically spent and, probably, only a little heated vapor will remain therein. As said cylinder descends into the water, a stream of the latter will pass through the opening for the escape of steam from the cylinder, and, by entering said cylinder, effect the condensation of the steam or heated vapor remaining therein, and thereby a vacuum will be formed in the cylinder above the piston. When this is accomplished the piston will be forced Yupward by the pressure of the atmosphere acting against the lower face of said piston. By the upward movement of the piston the two parts of the dredge-bucket will bev drawn together to meet at a central line, and the closing movement'of the two parts of said bucket will scoop up the material lying in their path.

I am aware that dredge-buckets have heretofore been made with a cylinder provided with a piston fitted to reciprocate therein to effect the opening and closing movements of the two parts of said bucket, by means of steam pressure applied to said piston to move the latter in both directions. I do not claim IOO 539,962 e la ton effected by steam-pressure, and the closing movement of the bucket is effected by an upward movement of a piston under atmospheric pressure,` after a vacuum is Vformed above said piston.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a dredge-bucket operating mechanism, the combination of a steam-cylinder, a piston fitted to reciprocate in said cylinder, a water- Yinlet opening in said cylinder which is aut0- matically opened and closed by said piston, and a steam-pipe communicating with said cylinder; the downward stroke of said piston being eected by steam pressure and the upward stroke of the same being eected by a Vacuum in the cylinder produced by submerging the latter, substantially as specified.

2. In a dredge-bucket operating mechanism, the combination of a steam-cylinder provided with stationary hinge-joints at its lower end, a piston fitted to reciprocate in said cylinder and having hinge-lugs on its lower face, links jointed to said hinge-lugs and to the two-partsv of a dredge-bucket; said links being arranged to be drawn into the bore of the cylinder by the upwardstroke of said piston, and a twopart dredgebucket hinged to the hinge-joints of said cylinder, substantially as specified.

' 3. Inadredge-bucket operating mechanism, the combination of a steam-cylinder having hinge-lugs on its periphery, a piston tted to reciprocate in said cylinder and connected to the two parts of a dredge-bucket, a dredgebucket consisting of two similar parts, and swinging-links that form connections between the two parts of the dredge-bucket and the hinge-lugs of the cylinder; the downward stroke of the piston being effected by steam` pressure and the upward stroke of the same being effected by a vacuum produced by submerging the cylinder, as and for the purpose specified.

JOHN M. SEWARD.

Witnesses:

WM. H. LOW, BENJ. BURTON. 

